China and from China to the Indies and the voyage of Bengala Maluco and Sonda with the lading of fine cloth and euery sort of Bumbast cloth Sonda is an Iland of the Moores neere to the coast of Iaua and there they lade Pepper for China The ship that goeth euery yeere from the Indies to China is called the ship of Drugs because she carieth diuers drugs of Cambaia but the greatest part of her lading is siluer From Malacca to China is eighteene hundred miles and from China to Iapan goeth euery yeere a shippe of great importance laden with Silke which for returne of their Silke bringeth barres of siluer which they trucke in China The distance betweene China and Iapan is foure and twentie hundred miles and in this way there are diuers Ilands not very bigge in which the Friers of saint Paul by the helpe of God make many Christians there like to themselues From these Ilands hitherwards the place is not yet discouered for the great sholdnesse of Sandes that they find The Portugals haue made a small citie neere vnto the coast of China called Macao whose church and houses are of wood and it hath a bishoprike but the customs belong to the king of China and they goe and pay the same at a citie called Canton which is a citie of great importance and very beautifull two dayes iourney and a halfe from Macao The people of China are Gentiles and are so iealous and fearefull that they would not haue a stranger to put his foote within their land so that when the Portugals go thither to pay their custome and to buy their marchandize they will not consent that they shall lie or lodge within the citie but send them foorth into the suburbes The countrey of China is neere the kingdom of great Tartaria and is a very great countrey of the Gentiles and of great importance which may be iudged by the rich and precious marchandize that come from thence then which I beleeue there are not better nor in greater quantitie in the whole world besides First great store of golde which they carie to the Indies made in plates like to little shippes and in value three and twentie caracts a peece very great aboundance of fine silke cloth of damaske and taffata great quantitie of muske great quantitie of Occam in barres great quantitie of quicksiluer and of Cinaper great store of Camfora an infinite quantitie of Porcellane made in vessels of diuerse sortes great quantitie of painted cloth and squares infinite store of the rootes of China and euery yeere there commeth from China to the Indies two or three great shippes laden with most rich and precious marchandise The Rubarbe commeth from thence ouer lande by the way of Persia because that euery yeere there goeth a great Carouan from Persia to China which is in going thither sixe moneths The Carouan arriueth at a Citie called Lanchin the place where the king is resident with his Court I spake with a Persian that was three yeeres in that citie of Lanchin and he tolde me that it was a great Citie and of great importance The voiages of Malacca which are in the iurisdiction of the Captaine of the castle are these Euery yeere he sendeth a small shippe to Timor to lade white Sandols for all the best commeth from this Iland there commeth some also from Solor but that is not so good also he sendeth another small ship euery yere to Cauchin China to lade there wood of Aloes for that all the wood of Aloes commeth from this place which is in the firme land neere vnto China and in that kingdome I could not knowe how that wood groweth by any meanes For that the people of the countrey will not suffer the Portugales to come within the land but onely for wood and water and as for all other things that they wanted as victuals or marchandise the people bring that a boord the ship in small barkes so that euery day there is a mart kept in the ship vntill such time as she be laden also there goeth another ship for the said Captaine of Malacca to Sion to lade Uerzino all these voiages are for the Captaine of the castle of Malacca and when he is not disposed to make these voiages he selleth them to another The citie of Sion or Siam SIon was the imperiall seat and a great Citie but in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred sixtie and seuen it was taken by the king of Pegu which king made a voyage or came by lande foure moneths iourney with an armie of men through his lande and the number of his armie was a million and foure hundreth thousand men of warre when hee came to the Citie he gaue assault to it and besieged it one and twentie monethes before he could winne it with great losse of his people this I know for that I was in Pegu sixe moneths after his departure and sawe when that his officers that were in Pegu sent fiue hundreth thousand men of warre to furnish the places of them that were slaine and lost in that assault yet for all this if there had not beene treason against the citie it had not beene lost for on a night there was one of the gates set open through the which with great trouble the king gate into the citie and became gouernour of Sion and when the Emperour sawe that he was betrayed and that his enemie was in the citie he poysoned himselfe and his wiues and children friends and noblemen that were not slaine in the first affront of the entrance into the citie were all caried captiues into Pegu where I was at the comming home of the king with his triumphs and victorie which comming home returning from the warres was a goodly sight to behold to see the Elephants come home in a square laden with golde siluer iewels and with Noble men and women that were taken prisoners in that citie Now to returne to my voyage I departed from Malacca in a great shippe which went for Saint Tome being a Citie situate on the coast of Coromandel and because the Captaine of the castles of Malacca had vnderstanding by aduise that the king of Assi would come with a great armie and power of men against them therefore vpon this he would not giue licence that any shippes should depart Wherefore in this ship wee departed from thence in the night without making any prouision of our water and wee were in that shippe foure hundreth and odde men we departed from thence with intention to goe to an Iland to take in water but the windes were so contrary that they would not suffer vs to fetch it so that by this meanes wee were two and fortie dayes in the sea as it were lost and we were driuen too and fro so that the first lande that we discouered was beyonde Saint Tome more then fiue hundreth miles which were the mountaines of
the fayres to buy my commodities with the marchants And this is the cause that the Portugales will not drinke of the water of the riuer Ganges yet to the sight it is more perfect and clearer then the water of Nilus is From the port Piqueno I went to Cochin and from Cochin to Malacca from whence I departed for Pegu being eight hundred miles distant That voyage is woont to be made in fiue and twentie or thirtie dayes but we were foure moneths and at the ende of three moneths our ship was without victuals The Pilot told vs that wee were by his altitude not farre from a citie called Tanasary in the kingdome of Pegu and these his words were not true but we were as it were in the middle of many Ilands and many vninhabited rockes and there were also some Portugales that affirmed that they knew the land and knewe also where the citie of Tanasari was This citie of right belongeth to the kingdome of Sion which is situate on a great riuers side which commeth out of the kingdome of Sion and where this riuer runneth into the sea there is a village called Mirgim in whose harbour euery yeere there lade some ships with Uerzina Nypa and Beniamin a few cloues nutmegs and maces which come from the coast of Sion but the greatest marchandise there is Uerzin and Nypa which is an excellent wine which is made of the floure of a tree called Nyper Whose liquour they distill and so make an excellent drinke cleare as christall good to the mouth and better to the stomake and it hath an excellent gentle vertue that if one were rotten with the french pockes drinking good store of this he shall be whole againe and I haue seene it proued because that when I was in Cochin there was a friend of mine whose nose beganne to drop away with that disease and he was counselled of the doctors of phisicke that he should goe to Tanasary at the time of the new wines and that he should drinke of the nyper wine night and day as much as he could before it was distilled which at that time is most delicate but after that it is distilled it is more strong and if you drinke much of it it will fume into the head with drunkennesse This man went thither and did so and I haue scene him after with a good colour and sound This wine is very much esteemed in the Indies and for that it is brought so farre off it is very deare in Pegu ordinarily it is good cheape because it is neerer to the place where they make it and there is euery yeere great quantitie made thereof And returning to my purpose I say being amongst these rockes and farre from the land which is ouer against Tanasary with great scarcitie of victuals and that by the saying of the Pylot and two Portugales holding then firme that wee were in front of the aforesayd harbour we determined to goe thither with our boat and fetch victuals and that the shippe should stay for vs in a place assigned We were twentie and eight persons in the boat that went for victuals and on a day about twelue of the clocke we went from the ship assuring our selues to bee in the harbour before night in the aforesaid port wee rowed all that day and a great part of the next night and all the next day without finding harbour or any signe of good landing and this came to passe through the euill counsell of the two Portugales that were with vs. For we had ouershot the harbour and left it behind vs in such wise that we had lost the lande inhabited together with the shippe and we eight and twentie men had no maner of victuall with vs in the boate but it was the Lords will that one of the Mariners had brought a litle rice with him in the boate to barter away for some other thing and it was not so much but that three or foure men would haue eaten it at a meale I tooke the gouernment of this Ryce promising that by the helpe of God that Ryce should be nourishment for vs vntil it pleased God to send vs to some place that was inhabited when I slept I put the ryce into my bosome because they should not rob it from me we were nine daies rowing alongst the coast without finding any thing but countreys vninhabited desert Ilands where if we had found but grasse it would haue seemed sugar vnto vs but wee could not finde any yet we found a fewe leaues of a tree and they were so hard that we could not chewe them we had water and wood sufficient and as wee rowed we could goe but by flowing water for when it was ebbing water wee made fast our boat to the banke of one of those Ilandes and in these nine dayes that we rowed we found a caue or nest of Tortoises egges wherein were one hundred fortie and foure egges the which was a great helpe vnto vs these egges are as bigge as a hennes egge and haue no shell aboue them but a tender skinne euery day we sodde a kettle full of those egges with an handfull of rice in the broth thereof it pleased God that at the ende of nine dayes we discouered certaine fisher men a fishing with small barkes and we rowed towardes them with a good cheare for I thinke there were neuer men more glad then we were for wee were so sore afflicted with penurie that we could scarce stande on our legges Yet according to the order that we set for our ryce when we sawe those fisher men there was left sufficient for foure dayes The first village that we came to was in the gulfe of Tauay vnder the king of Pegu whereas we found great store of victuals then for two or three dayes after our arriuall there we would eate but litle meate any of vs and yet for all this we were at the point of death the most part of vs. From Tauay to Martauan in the kingdome of Pegu are seuentie two miles We laded our bote with victuals which were aboundantly sufficient for sixe moneths from whence we departed for the port and Citie of Martauan where in short time we arriued but we found not our ship there as we had thought we should from whence presently we made out two barkes to goe to looke for her And they found her in great calamitie and neede of water being at an anker with a contrary winde which came very ill to passe because that she wanted her boat a moneth which should haue made her prouision of wood and water the shippe also by the grace of God arriued safely in the aforesaid port of Martauan The Citie of Martauan WE found in the Citie of Martauan ninetie Portugales of Merchants and other base men which had fallen at difference with the Retor or gouernour of the citie and all for this cause that certaine vagabondes of the Portugales had slaine fiue
by the name of Fuâ— other inferior cities called Cheu and of a third kind also named Hien which be indeed walled townes but are not priuileged with the dignities and prerogatiues of cities To these may be added two other kindes of lesser townes which are partly villages and partly garrisons of souldiers Of the first and principall kind is that most noble citie standing neere vnto the port of Macao called by the Chinians Coanchefu but by the Portugals commonly termed Cantam which is rather the common name of the prouince theÌ„ a word of their proper imposition Unto the third kind appertaineth a towne which is yet nigher vnto the port of Macao called by the Portugals Ansam but by the Chinians Hiansanhien Aâ— the foresayd prouinces therefore haue their greater cities named Fu their lesser cities called Cheu vnto both of which the other townes may be added Moreouer in euery prouince there is a certain principal city which is called the Metropolitane thereof wherein the chief magistrates haue their place of residence as the principal citie by me last mentioned which is the head of the whole prouince called Coantum The number of the greater cities throughout the whole kingdom is more then 150â— and there is the same or rather a greater multitude of inferiour cities Of walled townes not endued with the priuileges of cities there are mo then 1120 the villages garrisons can scarce be numbred ouer besides the which conuents it is incredible what a number of couÌ„trie farmes or granges there be for it is not easie to find any place desert or void of inhabitants in all that land Now in the sea in riuers in barks there are such abundance of people and of whole families inhabiting that euen the Europaeans themselues doe greatly wonder thereat insomuch that some albeit beyond measure haue bene perswaded that there are as many people dwelling vpon the water as vpon the land Neither were they induced so to thinke altogether without probabilitie for whereas the kingdom of China is in all parts thereof interfused with commodious riuers in many places consisteth of waters barges boats being euery-where very common it might easily bee supposed that the number of water-men was equal vnto the land-inhabitants Howbeit that is to be vnderstood by amplification whereas the cities do swarme so ful with citizens the countrie with peasants Leo. The abundance of people which you tell vs of seemeth very strange whereupon I coniecture the soile to be fertile the aire to be holesome and the whole kingdom to be at peace Michael You haue friend Leo ful iâ—dicially coniectured those three for they do all so excel y t which of the three in this kingdom be more excellent it is not easie to discerne And hence it is that this common opinion hath bene rife among the Portugals namely that the kingdom of China was neuer visâ—â—ed with those three most heauy sharpe scourges of mankind warre famine pestilence But that opinion is more common then true sithens there haue bene most terrible intestine and ciuile warres as in many and most autenticall histories it is recorded sithens also that some prouinces of the sayd kingdom euen in these our dayes haue bene afflicted with pestilence and contagious diseases and with famine Howbeit that the foresaid three benefits do mightily flourish and abound in China it cannot be denied For that I may first speake of the salubritie of the aire the fathers of the societie themselues are witnesses that scarcely in any other realme there are so many found that liue vnto decrepite and extreme old age so great a multitude is there of ancient and graue personages neither doe they vse so many confections and medicines nor so manifold and sundry wayes of curing diseases as wee saw accustomed in Europe For amongst them they haue no Phlebotomie or letting of blood but all their cures as ours also in Iapon are atchieued by fasting decoctions of herbes light or gentle potions But in this behalfe let euery nation please themselues with their owne customes Now in fruitfulnes of soile this kingdom certes doth excel far surpassing all other kingdoms of the East yet is it nothing comparable vnto the plentie and abundance of Europe as I haue declared at large in the former treatises But the kingdom of China is in this regard so highly extolled because there is not any region in the East partes that aboundeth so with marchandise and from whence so much traffique is sent abroad For whereas this kingdome is most large full of nauigable riuers so that commodities may easilie be conueyed out of one prouince into antother the Portugals doe find such abundance of wares within one and the same Citie which perhaps is the greatest Mart throughout the whole kingdome that they are verily perswaded that the same region of all others most aboundeth with marchandise which notwithstanding is to be vnderstood of the Orientall regions albeit there are some kindes of marchandise wherewith the land of China is better stored then any other kingdom This region affordeth especially sundry kinds of mettals of which the chiefe both in excellencie in abundance is gold whereof so many Pezoes are brought from China to India and to our countrey of Iapon that I heard say that in one and the same ship this present yeere 2000 such pieces consisting of massie gold as the Portugals commonly call golden loaues were brought vnto vs for marchandise and one of these loaues is worth almost 100 duckats Hence it is that in the kingdom of China so many things are adorned with gold as for example beds tables pictures images litters wherein nice and daintie dames are caried vpon their seruaunts backes Neither are these golden loaues onely bought by the Portugals but also great plentie of gold-twine and leaues of gold for the Chinians can very cunningly beate and extenuate gold into plates and leaues There is also great store of siluer whereof that I may omit other arguments it is no small demonstration that euery yeere there are brought into the citie commonly called Cantam by the Portugal marchants to buie wares at the least 400 Sestertium thereof and yet nothing in a maner is conueied out of the Chinian kingdom because the people of China abounding with all necessaries are not greatly inquisitiue or desirous of any marchandise from other kingdomes I doe here omit the Siluer minesâ— whereof there are great numbers in China albeit there is much circumspection vsed in digging the siluer thereout for the king standeth much in feare least it may bee an occasion to stirre vp the couetous and greedie humour of many Nowe their siluer which they put to vses is for the most part passing fine and purified from all drosse and therefore in trying it they vse great diligence What should I speake of their iron copper lead tinne and other mettals and also of their quick-siluer Of all which
diuers goods to the value of 440 lib Item from Andrew Purser one farnell of cloth and one chest with diuers commodities therein to the value of ten pounds Item the aboue-named marchants complaine saying that certaine malefactors of Wismer Rostok and others of the Hans namely Godekin Mighel Henrie van Hall de Stertebeker with other of their confederates in the yeere of our Lord 1399. wickedly and vniustly took from Iohn Priour of Lenne out of the ship of Michael van Buâ—gh namely â—60 nests of maseâ—s worth 100 lib.13.s.4.d Item 30. furres rigges of Kaleber woorth 13 s.4.d a piâ—ce the summe totall amounting to 20 li Item 20. furres wombys of Kalebre worth c. Item one girdle of siluer and one dagger adorned with siluer worth 30 s Item two coates and one long iacket and other goods to the value of 30 s Item he paide for his ransome 4 lib.13.s.4.d Unto all and singular the articles aboue-written the ambassadors of England aforesaid do further adde that the doers and authors of the damages iniuries and robberies set down in the articles aboue written of whom some are named in particular and others in general performed and committed all those outrages being hired thereunto at the expenses and charges of the common societies of the cities aforesaid And that the inhabitants of euery houshold in the foresaide cities ech man according to his ability wittingly purposely set foorth one two or more menâ— for the very same expedition wherein all and singular the foresaid trespasses were committed The foresaid English ambassadors doe exhibite the articles aboue written vnto the procurators of the cities of Wismer and Rostok aforesaid leaue and libertie being alwayes reserued vnto the said ambassadors to enlarge or to diminish or to expound all or euery or any of the said Articles whatsoeuer so often as it shall â—eeme expedient vnto them These be the grieuances and offences whereat the marchants of the Hans of Almaine comming vnto and residing in the Realme of England doe finde themselues aggrieued contrarie to the Articles and priuileges of the Charter graunted vnto them by the worthy Progenitors of the king of England that now is and also by the saide soueraigne Lord the King ratified and confirmed IMprimis whereas the foresaide marchants haue a priuilege graunted vnto them by Charter that they may in cities boroughs and in other towns and villages throughout the whole realme of England exercise traffique in grosse as wel with the natural inhabitants of the kingdome â—s with strangers and priuate personâ— of late those that are free deâ—izens in the cities boroughs and villages within the foresaid kingdome do hinder and restrain all others that be strangers foreners and aliens that they neither câ—n nor dare buy and sel with the marchants of the Hans aforesaid to their great hinderance and losse Item the foresaid marchants by vertue of their charter were wont to haue and to hold Innes and mansions for the reposing of themselues and of their goods wheresoeuer they pleased in any cities boroughs or villages throughout the whole kingdome howbeit of late the foresaide marchants are not suffered to take vp their mansions contrary to the tenoâ—r of their charter Item the foresaid marchants are priuileged not to vndergoe any other burthens or impositions but onely to pay certaine customs as it doeth by their charter manifestly appeare Notwithstanding at y e same time when Simon de Moreden was maior of London the foresaid marchants were constrained in the ward of Doue-gate at London to pay fifteenths tallages and other subsidies contrary to the liberties of their charter Whereupon the saide marchants prosecuâ—ed the matter before the Councel of our soueraign lord the king insomuch that they were released from paying afterward any such tallages fifteenths and subsidies Which marchants a while after of their owne accord and free will gaue vnto the gild-hall of London an hundreth markes sterling conditionally that they of the citie aforesaide should not at any time after exact or demaund of the said marchants or of their successors any tallages fifteenths or subsidies contrary to the tâ—nor of their charter as by records in the foresaid gild-hall it doth more plainly appeare Howbeit of late the officers of our lord the king in the foresaid ward of Doue-gate constrained the marchants aforesaid to pay tallages fifteenths other subsidies And because the saide marchants murmured and refused to pay any such contributions alleaging their priuileges the foresaid officers arrested the goods of those said marchants which are as yet detained vpon the arâ—est notwithstanding that they were released before the councel of our soueraigne lord the king also that they gaue vnto the said gild-hall one hundreth marks to be released as it is aforesaid And also the foresaid marchants were constrained to pay 12.d in the pound and of late 6.d and other subsidies more then their ancient customes to the great damage of those marchants Item the foresaid marchants are priuileged as touching customs of wols by theÌ„ bought within the realm of England y t they are not bound to pay ouer besides their ancient cusâ—oms but onely xl.d. more then the homeborn marchants of England were wont to pay But now y e foresaid marchants are compelled to pay for euery sack of wool besides y e ancient custom the 40.d aforesaid a certain impositioÌ„ called Pence for the town of Cales namely for euery sack of wool 19.d more then the marchants of England doe pay to their great losse against the liberty of their charter Item the foresaid marchants are priuileged by their charter that concerning the quantity of their marchandize brought into the realme of England in regard whereof they are bound to pay 3.d for the worth of euery pound of siluer credit is to be giuen vnto them for the letters of their masters and of their companies if they were able to shew them And if so be they had no letters in this behalfe to shew that then credite should bee giuen vnto themselues and that their othe or the othe of their atturney should be taken without any other proof as touching the value of their marchandize so brought in that thereupon they should be bound to pay customs namely the customes of 3.d iustly for that cause to be paid But nowe the customers of our soueraigne lorde the king put their goods to an higher rate then they ought or were woont to be and heereupon they compell them to pay custome for their goods at their pleasure scanning about their fraight and expenses particularly disbursed in regard of the said goods and marchandize to the great hinderance of the said marchants and against the teâ—or of their charter Item the foresaid marchants by way of pitiful complaint do alleage that whereas the worthy progenitors of our Lord the king that now is by vertue of the saide great charter gâ—aunted libertie vnto them to pay the customes of certain
deliuered to wit The Bonauenture wherein himselfe went as General the Lion vnder the conduct of Master William Borough Controller of the Nauie the Dread-nought vnder the command of M. Thomas Venner and the Rainebow captaine whereof was M. Henry Bellingham vnto which 4. ships two of her pinasses were appointed as haud-maids There were also added vnto this Fleet certaine tall ships of the Citie of London of whose especiall good seruice the Generall made particular mention in his priuate Letters directed to her Maiestie This Fleete set saile from the sound of Plimouth in the moneth of April towards the coast of Spaine The 16. of the said moneth we mette in the latitude of 40. degrees with two ships of Middle-borough which came from Cadiz by which we vnderstood that there was great store of warlike prouision at Cadiz thereabout ready to come for Lisbon Upon this information our Generall withal speed possible bending himselfe thither to cut off their said forces and prouisions vpon the 19. of April entered with his Fleet into the Harbor of Cadiz where at our first entring we were assailed ouer against the Towne by sixe Gallies which notwithstanding in short time retired vnder their fortresse There were in the Road 60. ships and diuers other small vessels vnder the fortresse there fled about 20. French ships to Port Real and some small Spanish vessels that might passe the sholdes At our first coÌ„ming in we sunke with our shot a ship of Raguza of a 1000. tunnes furnished with 40. pieces of brasse and very richly laden There came two Gallies more from S. Mary port and two from Porto Reale which shot freely at vs but altogether in vaine for they went away with the blowes well beaten for their paines Before night we had taken 30. of the said ships became Masters of the Road in despight of the Gallies which were glad to retire them vnder the Fort in the number of which ships there was one new ship of an extraordinary hugenesse in burthen aboue 1200. tunnes belonging to the Marquesse of Santa Cruz being at that instant high Admiral of Spaine Fiue of them were great ships of Biskay whereof 4. we fired as they were taking in the Kings prouision of victuals for the furnishing of his Fleet at Lisbon the fift being a ship about 1000. tunnes in burthen laden with Iron-spiâ—es nailes yron hoopes horse-shooes and other like necessaries bound for the West Indies we fired in like maner Also we tooke a ship of 250. tunnes laden with wines for the Kings prouision which wee caried out to the Sea with vs and there discharged the said wines for our owne store and afterward set her on fire Moreouer we tooke 3. Flyboats of 300. tunnes a piece laden with biscuit whereof one was halfe vnladen by vs in the Harborow and there fired and the other two we tooke in our company to the Sea Likewise there were fired by vs ten other ships which were laden with wine raisins figs oiles wheat such like To conclude the whole number of ships and barkes as we suppose then burnt suncke and brought away with vs amounted to 30. at the least being in our iudgement about 10000. tunnes of shipping There were in sight of vs at Porto Real about 40. ships besides those that fled from Cadiz We found little ease during our aboad there by reason of their continuall shooting from the Gallies the fortresses and from the shoare where continually at places conuenient they planted new ordinance to offend vs with besides the inconuenience which wee suffered from their ships which when they could defend no longer they set on fire to come among vs. Whereupon when the flood came wee were not a little troubled to defend vs from their terrible fire which neuerthelesse was a pleasant sight for vs to beholde because we were thereby eased of a great labour which lay vpon vs day and night in discharging the victuals and other prouisions of the enemie Thus by the assistance of the Almightie and the inuincible courage and industrie of our Generall this strange and happy enterprize was atchieued in one day and two nights to the great astonishment of the King of Spaine which bread such a corrasiue in the heart of the Marques of Santa Cruz high Admiral of Spaine that he neuer enioyed good day after but within fewe moneths as may iustly be supposed died of extreame griefe and sorrow Thus hauing performed this notable seruice we came out of the Road of Cadiz on the Friday morning the 21. of the said moneth of April with very small losse not worth the mentioning After our departure ten of the Gallies that were in the Road came out as it were in disdaine of vs to make some pastime with their ordinance at which time the wind skanted vpon vs whereupon we cast about againe and stood in with the shoare came to an anker within a league of the towne where the said Gallies for all their forâ—er bragging at length suffred vs to ride quietly We now haue had experience of Gally-fight wherein I can assure you that onely these 4. of her Maiesties ships will make no accompt of 20. Gallies if they may be alone and not busied to guard others There were neuer Gallies that had better place and fitter opportunitie for their aduantage to fight with ships but they were still forced to retire wee riding in a narrow gut the place yeelding no better and driuen to maintaine the same vntill wee had discharged and fired the shippes which could not conâ—eniently be done but vpon the flood at which time they might driue cleare off vs. Thus being victualed with bread and wine at the enemies cost for diuers moneths besides the prouisions that we brought from home our Generall dispatched Captaine Crosse into England with his letters giuing him further in charge to declare vnto her Maiestie all the particularities of this our first enterprize After whose departure wee shaped our course toward Cape Sacre and in the way thither wee tooke at seuerall times of ships barkes and Carauels well neere an hundred laden with hoopes gally-oares pipe-staues other prouisions of the king of Spaine for the furnishing of his forces intended against England al which we burned hauing delt fauorably with the men and sent them on shoare We also spoiled and coÌ„sumed all the fisher-boats and nets thereabouts to their great hinderance and as we suppose to the vtter ouerthrow of the rich fishing of their Tunies for the same yere At length we came to the aforesaid Cape Sacre where we went on land and the better to enioy the benefite of the place and to ride in harborow at our pleasure we assaâ—lâ—d the same castle and three other strong holds which we tooke some by force and some by surrender Thence we came before the hauen of Lisbon ankering nere vnto Cascais where the Marques of Santa Cruz was with his Gallies who seeing vs chase his ships a shoare take
falchines of the king of Pegu which chaunced about a moneth after the king of Pegu was gone with a million and foure hundred thousand men to conquere the kingdome of Sion They haue for custome in this Countrey and kingdome the king being wheresoeuer his pleasure is to bee out of his kingdome that euery fifteene dayes there goeth from Pegu a Carouan of Falchines with euery one a basket on his head full of some fruites or other delicates of refreshings and with cleane clothes it chaunced that this Carouan passing by Martauan and resting themselues there a night there happened betweene the Portugales and them wordes of despight and from wordes to blowes and because it was thought that the Portugales had the worse the night following when the Falchines were a sleepe with their companie the Portugales went and cut off fiue of their heads Now there is a lawe in Pegu that whosoeuer killeth a man he shall buy the shed blood with his money according to the estate of the person that is slaine but these Falchines being the seruants of the king the Retors durst not doe any thing in the matter without the consent of the king because it was necessarie that the king should knowe of such a matter When the king had knowledge thereof he gaue commaundement that the male factors should be kept vntill his comming home and then he would duely minister iustice but the Captaine of the Portugales would not deliuer those men but rather set himselfe with all the rest in armes and went euery day through the Citie marching with his Drumme and ensignes displayd For at that time the Citie was emptie of men by reason they were gone all to the warres and in businesse of the king in the middest of this rumour wee came thither and I thought it a strange thing to see the Portugales vse such insolencie in another mans Citie And I stoode in doubt of that which came to passe and would not vnlade my goods because that they were more sure in the shippe then on the land the greatest part of the lading was the owners of the shippe who was in Malacca yet there were diuerse marchants there but their goods were of small importance all those marchants tolde me that they would not vnlade any of their goods there vnlesse I would vnlade first yet after they left my counsell and followed their owne and put their goods a lande and lost euery whit The Rector with the customer sent for mee and demaunded why I put not my goods a lande and payed my custome as other men did To whom I answered that I was a marchant that was newly come thither and seeing such disorder amongst the Portugales I doubted the losse of my goods which cost me very deare with the sweate of my face and for this cause I was determined not to put my goods on lande vntill such time as his honour would assure me in the name of the king that I should haue no losse and although there came harme to thē Portugales that neither I nor my goods should haue any hurt because I had neither part nor any difference with them in this tumult my reason sounded well in the Retors eares and so presently he sent for the Bargits which are as Counsellers of the Citie and there they promised mee on the kings head or in the behalfe of the king that neither I nor my goods should haue any harme but that we should be safe and sure of which promise there were made publike notes And then I sent for my goods and had them on land and payde my custome which is in that countrey ten in the hundreth of the same goods and for my more securitie I tooke a house right against the Retors house The Captaine of the Portugales and all the Portugall marchants were put out of the Citie and I with twentie and two poore men which were officers in the shippe had my dwelling in the Citie After this the Gentiles deuised to be reuenged of the Portugales but they would not put it in execution vntill such time as our small shippe had discharged all her goods and then the next night following came from Pegu foure thousand souldiers with some Elephants of warre and before that they made any tumult in the citie the Retor sent and gaue commaundement to all Portugales that were in the Citie when they heard any rumour or noyse that for any thing they should not goe out of their houses as they tendered their owne health Then foure houres within night I heard a great rumour and noyse of men of warre with Elephants which threw downe the doores of the ware-houses of the Portugales and their houses of wood and strawe in the which tumult there were some Portugales wounded and one of them slaine and others without making proofe of their manhoode which the day before did so bragge at that time put themselues to flight most shamefully and saued themselues a boord of litle shippes that were at an anker in the harbour and some that were in their beds fled away naked and that night they caried away all the Portugalles goods out of the suburbes into the Citie and those Portugales that had their goods in the suburbes also After this the Portugales that were fledde into the shippes to saue themselues tooke a newe courage to themselues and came on lande and set fire on the houses in the suburbes which houses being made of boorde and strawe and the winde blowing fresh in small time were burnt and consumed with which fire halfe the Citie had like to haue beene burnt when the Portugales had done this they were without all hope to recouer any part of their goods againe which goods might amount to the summe of sixteene thousand duckats which if they had not set fire to the towne they might haue had againe withont any losse at all Then the Portugales vnderstanding that this thing was not done by the consent of the king but by his Lieutenant and the Retor of the citie ware very ill content knowing that they had made a great fault yet the next morning following the Portugales beganne to bende and shoot their ordinance against the Citie which batterie of theirs continued foure dayes but all was in vaine for the shotte neuer hit the Citie but lighted on the top of a small hill neere vnto it so that the citie had no harme When the Retor perceiued that the Portugales made battery against the Citie hee tooke one and twentie Portugales that were there in the Citie and sent them foure miles into the Countrey there to tarry vntill such time as the other Portugales were departed that made the batterie who after their departure let them goe at their owne libertie without any harme done vnto them I my selfe was alwayes in my house with a good guard appointed me by the Retor that no man should doe me iniurie nor harme me nor my goods in such wise that hee perfourmed all